Credit: Christopher Evans

FORT MYERS — Forget about service time. Forget about seasoning. Forget about the long-term view, caution, taking the safe path. If the Red Sox are serious about winning in 2013, Jackie Bradley Jr. will be in their lineup on Opening Day.

With all due respect to Mike Carp, Lyle Overbay, Ryan Sweeney and all of the other possible replacements for David Ortiz, none of them is the most exciting Red Sox prospect since Jacoby Ellsbury.

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